


Trusted Friend

by Oliver__Niko



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Confessions, Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Other, Questioning, Sexuality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 13:27:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19769152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko
Summary: Though Sheena is surprised when Zelos comes to her with his confusion over his sexuality, she does all she can to support him.





	Trusted Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Here is something I wrote a little while ago (I think early June) that I didn't get around to uploading! This is my first time writing for Symphonia, and whilst this does make me a little anxious over characterisation, it was a lot of fun and I hope to do so again.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Zelos has been what Sheena would call infuriating on a number of occasions.

There are constant times that he has teased her, flirted with her and have done a number of things which is simply downright annoying. One might believe it’s all part of the charm. And _sometimes,_ when Sheena might be in a particularly good mood, she may think this herself.

Other times she wonders why on Earth she had ever got herself involved with the Chosen in the first place.

However, as time has passed, the two have certainly become closer. She would never deny it to herself. The hardships that each of them have been through has resulted in all of them getting closer in some way; it’s rather incredible how continuous battles with each other and moments where your trust has been tested can bring you together more than ever.

She can see Zelos as a true companion now. A friend, when she is feeling generous. And the more she comes to terms with this, the more that she can see there is far more to Zelos than what is on the surface.

His flirting, though irritating, is never taken too far. Should a woman show that she is uncomfortable with his advances, he will always respect those boundaries and apologise for potentially stepping over the line. It is never too over the top either. A nice compliment on an appearance or personality is all Zelos will usually do, and could even be seen as regular politeness depending on who he speaks to.

Zelos is also seemingly lonely, Sheena has noticed. Or at least this is what she believes. She often wonders if this is a cause for how flirtatious he is, although does sometimes shrug this off as her overthinking, believing that she is seeing too far into it.

Either way, the two have grown to trust each other, developing a bond that isn’t simply based on Zelos’ flirting with her.

She likes that. She really does. It can be difficult to find someone you genuinely trust, the words _“I trust you”_ not always completely truthful, but rather more of a compliment than anything else.

Though unsure of how far she would trust Zelos, especially after the day he betrayed her, she can at least say it is there. And she herself is there for him also. Though often too embarrassed to admit it, she will always be there to him, and she is more than happy to help if he ever needs it.

She just simply never realised that there may be a day, away from their fighting and survival with each other, where Zelos _would_ ask for advice. And advice over something entirely unexpected at that.

“Sheena, babe, can I speak to you?” asks Zelos one day, as the party are settling inside an inn for the night. Sheena glances at him with scepticism. The word ‘babe’ always rings alarm bells. However, here it has been spoken more casually— _gently,_ even—and Sheena finds that she isn’t bracing herself.

“Sure. Wanna go outside?” says Sheena. Zelos nods, leading the way out of the inn without another word, which also sparks her curiosity. Before following, Sheena glances at their other party members; though Regal and Presea have glanced over curiously, the others seem pre-occupied with something Raine is showing them. Sheena sneaks out of the door before any of them notice.

The remaining oranges of the sunset linger in the sky that Zelos is watching. Why he does not let himself look like this more often, Sheena will never know. He is beautiful and mysterious as he leans against the wall of the inn, staring up at the warm colours.

He’s often truly radiant, until he opens his mouth.

“What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?” asks Sheena, settling herself next to him. For once in his life, Zelos remains silent, seeming to sift through his thoughts.

“It’s pretty complicated, I guess.”

“You better not be confessing your undying love for me.”

Zelos chuckles, far softer than Sheena would expect. “Nah. It’s uh, it’s far from that, actually.”

“Oh.”

Sheena allows time to tick by a little, before she grows fairly impatient with the silence. “So what is it?”

“Well I, uh …”

The hesitation causes Sheena to turn her head around to face him, eyes widening when she finds that an embarrassed flush of colour is on his face.

“I’ve been a bit confused lately.”

“Over what?”

If Zelos didn’t appear so nervous, almost _frightened,_ Sheena would be sighing and telling him to hurry up and not dawdle this much. She cannot bring herself to say such a thing when Zelos is giving off this kind of emotion. It’s simply so rare to see in him, so much so that it’s almost as though he has been replaced with another person, and she has to remain patient.

She has to show him that he can trust her, that they truly have formed a friendship between them as of late.

“Look, I don’t have any clue about what you’re talking about, but you can talk to me,” says Sheena. “Whatever’s on your mind is clearly getting to you, so why not just say it?”

“Because I’m worried you might hate me for it,” says Zelos, barely above a mumble.

“Hate you for this more than your annoying flirting?”

“I mean, this is … probably going to seem way weirder than that.”

“Weird?” Sheena lets out a laugh, a sound which causes Zelos to avert his gaze to her. “Zelos, I’m a ninja who makes pacts with strange, powerful spirits. I’m also an assassin who failed at her job. I don’t think anything can seem weird to me these days when I’m weird enough myself.”

Zelos is now the one laughing. As he does so, Sheena can see how his tension immediately eases, at least some of his nerves fading away. “All right, got to say that I agree with that one.”

“Hey, you’re not meant to _agree_ with me being weird.” She elbows his side, before her voice grows softer. “Really though, you can talk to me. I don’t mind.”

Zelos nods. He breathes out deeply in an attempt to compose himself.

“I’ve been wondering lately if I … I don’t know. Kinda like guys, maybe?”

“Ah.”

She isn’t exactly sure on what to say, or even what to think, for that matter. Not because she finds this strange like Zelos said she will. Simply because these are hardly the words she expected to come out of Zelos’ mouth, and perhaps even that with how anxious he has seemed, she expected something … shocking. Not simply about who he likes.

“And you’re confused about it, I’m guessing?” she says regardless, imagining that none of this feels as simple for him as it does for her to be listening.

“I mean … yeah. It’s not really something I got told about growing up, or even see so much.”

“How long have you felt this way?”

“I don’t know. A while, maybe.”

Zelos’ form has become closed off once again, his anxiety seeming to return. He watches the scene out in front of them. By now, darkness is beginning to settle in, Sheena shivering from the evening air which hits her.

She ignores it, for she would rather not leave Zelos to ponder over all of this by himself.

“I think I’ve always been this way, maybe,” Zelos continues. Sheena realises that him doing so without her telling him too is a sign of the trust he has in her. “I never really noticed it. But it’s one of those things where you look back on your life and think _man,_ that really was going on. You know?”

Sheena nods. “I haven’t really had that personally, but I can still get what you mean.” She pauses, before adding, “So when _did_ you start noticing?”

Huh. Considering it is such a rare sight for Zelos to do so without trying to hide his embarrassment, Sheena cannot help but think to herself that she should make a mental note on how Zelos looks when he is blushing.

“Um … W-Well I …”

“Yeah?”

“I kind of … started growing a crush on Lloyd a while ago. I guess.”

“ _Oh.”_

Sheena cannot help but stare. Not because she finds this strange or anything of the sort … Not _completely,_ at least. She is just simply … surprised. After all, it is peculiar to hear the man who has consistently flirted with you say he has feelings for your male party member.

The same can be applied to him being attracted to men in general. It is the last thing she would expect with how frequently he flirts with women.

Although has it ever been truly serious, now she thinks about it? Zelos has not yet stated if he still does like women or not. However, if he so happens to only like men, then it would explain why Zelos’ flirting with women has never actually seemed serious.

It is always to joke around, or to get something out of someone, anything of the sort. Trying to earn a date or something else, however? Sheena cannot actually remember a time where this has been the case.

“I wasn’t expecting Lloyd,” says Sheena, not wanting Zelos to be uncomfortable by an increasing silence.

“Neither was I,” says Zelos, smiling with amusement. He scratches the back of his head. “I mean, what I even see in him, I don’t know.”

Sheena hums. She’s not thoroughly convinced by those words. “Nah. You must see _something,_ if you ended up saying this at all.”

With a shrug, Zelos remains silent for a moment. Sheena does not break it this time. After all, it is clear that Zelos is contemplating her words, likely thinking back over his relationship with Lloyd.

“I think I began to see how much good in him,” he says eventually.

“Fall for the heroes, do you?”

Chuckling, Zelos shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t really know if it’s exactly like _that._ But Lloyd has taught me a lot, you know? I think he has done with all of us. Our party definitely wouldn’t be the same without him. I guess I admire him a lot.”

“To be fair, I _can_ see why someone might end up liking him,” says Sheena.

“Yeah, I began to be that way, too. We’ve definitely become friends lately, I’d say. Have you noticed that? The way I’ve been getting closer to him?”

“Huh.” Sheena brings herself back to the earlier stages of Lloyd and Zelos’ companionship, where Zelos would be consistently irritated by Lloyd, unafraid to show his distaste for him in comparison to the female members of their party.

Over time, this has developed. Zelos’ remarks to Lloyd clearly becoming more and more of a joke, the two growing to trust each other … And whilst Lloyd may not be quite as energetic towards the other as Zelos can be, Sheena believes that Lloyd has been developing friendliness towards Zelos in return.

“It’s weird, isn’t it? Looking back?” says Zelos.

“For sure. But now you mention it, I can kinda see where all this is coming from, I think.”

“Right? I don’t get it at all.” Zelos’ shoe scuffs at the ground, his long hair falling past his face as he stares down. “Sure would make it easier if I liked a girl instead, huh?”

“What do you mean by that?” asks Sheena. She attempts to look at his face, although it seems as though Zelos is trying to avoid her gaze.

“You don’t really see it, do you? Guys with guys and all that? I doubt anyone would really accept the Chosen being with a guy.”

“I mean, the girls might hate not having you be after them anymore,” says Sheena. “But I’m sure people love you enough to accept you, surely?”

“Do they love me, though? Or do they just love a destiny I didn’t ask for and some good looks to go with it?”

Sheena opens her mouth to retort, ready to tell Zelos all of the other reasons that his adoring fans would have a reason to love him, although it ends up squeezing shut. _She_ and the rest of their party have every reason in the world to appreciate their friend. _They_ get to see his courage, his love for his friends, how hard he works even if it is not always easy to see.

These, however, are never seen by those who claim to be Zelos’ biggest fan. He is right. They drool over his looks, they are enchanted by the title ‘Chosen’ and swoon over his flirtatious ways.

None of that is love. It is baseless, void of all the emotions Sheena and the others have for Zelos.

There is no way for them to see the side that Sheena sees every single day.

“Exactly,” says Zelos, knowing what her silence means. “And it isn’t just what _they’d_ say. I also just simply have no chance with Lloyd.”

“Don’t say that,” says Sheena immediately, rushing to defend Zelos from his own attacks against himself.

“But why not? It’s true. It’s clear that he and Colette adore each other. Lloyd only really puts up with me. He doesn’t— _ow,_ Sheena!”

He rubs his arm after her fist has collided with it, pouting as he finally brings his gaze to her. “What was that for?”

“Look, whether those two have feelings for each other or not, I don’t know,” she says. “I’d be lying if I said that there’s no way it’d happen, because hell, I completely get where you’re coming from. But don’t you dare stand here and tell me that Lloyd doesn’t like you. You said it yourself that you’re getting closer!”

Zelos’ tongue runs over his lip. “Yeah, but—”

“No, no buts.” Sheena brings herself up from the wall, standing in front of Zelos. She leans forward with her hands on her hips. “Lloyd may get annoyed with you sometimes, like we all do, but I know for a _fact_ that he isn’t just ‘putting up with you.’ He appreciates you being here and wouldn’t want you saying this stuff about yourself. All right?”

“I … I guess,” he says hesitantly. Sheena sighs, shaking her head.

“Seriously, Zelos. All this doubting and insecurity isn’t like you. Where’s the confident jerk gone?”

“I don’t really know if any of that is actually real confidence.”

The words are clearly difficult for Zelos to admit. He is choosing not to look at her again, arms folded as though to make himself smaller. Sheena isn’t completely sure on what to say.

Because even though she understands Zelos in the sense that she can see why this hurts him so much, she cannot say she understands on a personal level. She has not felt pain in a similar way to this.

Straightening herself up, Sheena gives a strained smile, her head tilted a little to the side. “Real or not, we all love you. And regardless of whether or not Lloyd will like you back, he is going to be the exact same. He would never push you away because of how you feel.”

“That’s one thing I have to agree with,” says Zelos. His eyes return to Sheena when a hand rests on his shoulder.

“So chin up and smile,” she says. “We need you! And I know that you’re strong enough to sort through your feelings about this. You’re going to be all right.”

Zelos nods. At last, he can smile back— _genuinely._ “Thanks, Sheena. This has helped me a lot.”

“Of course. I’ve got to admit that I didn’t really see all this coming, but I’m glad that _I_ was the one you could open up to about it.”

She gestures towards the door. By now, the moon is visible in the sky. “Come on. We should head inside before they wonder what’s wrong and think you’re hitting on me.”

“I mean, you _are_ gorgeous!”

Sheena laughs, shaking her head in disbelief. She opens the door, swinging her arm towards it. “And there it is. Come on, jerk.”

He grins at her, heading inside the inn. Before she follows, her eyes find the moon above their heads.

She knows that it will continue to watch over them and guide them, Zelos included.


End file.
